Patient support garment



June 9, 1964 s. LEWIS PATIENT SUPPORT GARMENT Filed Nov. 15, 196 1 United States Patent F 3,136,311 PATIENT SUPPORT GARMENT Sidney Lewis, Forest Hills, N.Y., assignor to Melrose Hospital Uniform (30., Inc., Brooklyn, 'N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 151,962 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-134) This invention relates in general to a patient supporting garment, and more specifically to an improved vest-like garment for holding an invalid patient in a conventional sitting position on a chair and the like.

In the hospital and for the care of invalid patients there has been a long felt need for an improved supporting garment adapted for use with wheel chairs or conventional chairs for making possible a person, otherwise confined to a bed, to sit up with safety and confidence. Heretofore, invalid, bedridden patients have been supported in a sitting position by harness type supports of the types disclosed in US. Patents Nos. 2,851,033 and 2,413,395.

However, harnesses of these general constructions were relatively unleasant in appearance and for this reason I created an adverse psychological affect on the patient. Such harnesses tended to make the patient feel ill at ease,

a burden on his company and inferior. Also such harnesses utilized numerous straps and buckle type fastening means for adjusting the same. For this reason numerous strap adjustments were required in fitting the harness. Consequently, such harnesses were relatively complex and difficult to fit on a given patient.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an improved patient support that is relatively simple in construction, easily and quickly fitted to a given patient, and which is rendered positive in operation.

Another object is to provide an improved vest-like support garment for securing an invalid person safely in a sitting position in either a wheel or conventional chair.

Another object is to provide a vest-like support garment which inspires confidence and security to the patient.

Another object is to provide an improved support garment that is strong, durable, comfortable and pleasing in appearance.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision that the improved support garment is constructed so that it can look and be worn as a conventional vest.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of an improved support garment in which the number of straps required to safely secure a patient to a chair is reduced to a minimum.

Still another feature resides in the provision of a support garment having readily releasable fastening means in which the need for conventional strap buckles is eliminated.

Other features and advantages will become readily apparent when considered in view of the drawings and description in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the improved support garment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the support garment as applied to the body of a patient seated in a conventional chair.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the support garment as applied to a patient seated in a chair.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, the improved support garment of this invention. The garment 10 is preferably formed from a single blank of suitable strong and durable material so as to have a back portion 11 and connected left and right body enwrapping side portions 12 and 13, respectively. The cut of the material is such that only a single seam 14 across the shoulders is required to form the vest-type garment 10.

3,136,311 Patented June 9, 1964 The blank is further out to define sleeveless openings 15 :sweeping neckline 16, 17 that trails off to the lower edge or waist line 18 of the garment.

In accordance with this invention the left and right body enwrapping portions 12, 13 are adapted to crisscross in front of the patients body. Connected to the end of the body portion 13 is a ring 19. Connected to the end of the other body portion 12 is a side enwrapping strap 20.

A second or back strap 21 is provided. As shown, the back strap 21 is securely connected at one end 22 to the upper central portion of the back portion not the garment 10. The other end 23 of the back strap is adapted to depend in its operative position over the back of the chair 24. As seen, the free end 23 of the back strap is formed with a loop 25.

In accordance with this invention, the body enwrapping portion 12 is provided with a vertical slit 26 through which the end 13A of the other body enwrapping portion 13 is adapted to be inserted.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vest-like garment 10, de-

scribed, is fitted to the body of a patient in the manner of a convenional vest. The end of the enwrapping portion 13 is then crisscrossed under the body enwrapping portion 12, and has its end portion 13A threaded through slit 26. The side strap 20 connected to portion 12 is then Wrapped around the upright chair back 24, through the loop 25 of the back strap, and thence through the ring 19 connected to the end 13A of the body portion 13.

To firmly secure the patient in the chair, the free end of the side strap 20 is merely reversely folded over ring 19 and pulled tight to firmly draw the back of the patient against the chair back 24. In accordance with this invention, the side strap 20 is then firmly held in adjusted position merely by pressing the overlapping portions thereof together.

As seen in FIG. 1, fastening or securing the overlapping portions of the side strap 20 is rendered possible by providing a co-operating surface to surface acting fastening means. As shown, a strip 27 of woven material having outwardly projecting minute hook-like structures 28 is secured to the outer surface of the strap 20 adjacent its free end. The strip 27 extends along a substantial length of the strap. In the illustrated embodiment, strip 27 extends from the free end of the strap to a point indicated by 29. Juxtapositioned thereto is a strip 30 of co-operating surface having a plurality of minute loosely woven loops which are adapted to engage and retain the hook structure 28 of strip 27 when the portions of strips 27 and 30 overlap.

T o unfasten the strap 20, the free end of the strap 20 is simply pulled in a manner which will unpeal the overlapping free end or portion 27 of the strap from its underlapping intermediate portion 30. Thus in this manner it will be apparent that the securing means described renders the strap 20 infinitely adjustable. Also it renders the garment quickly adjustable, and affords means whereby it can be quickly and easily detachable or releasably secured in a positive and facsimile manner.

With the construction described, only two straps are required, back strap 21 and side strap 20. Also it is to be noted that the garment 10 in appearance looks very much like a conventional vest when worn by a patient. A collar lapel 31 may even be provided about the neckline 17 to dress up the appearance of the garment 10. Also vest or watch pockets (not shown) may also be provided. Consequently, it will be readily apparent that the particular styling and appearance afforded by the described construction tends to give the patient an air of confidence and superiority not possible by the prior known support harnesses.

Variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A supporting garment for holding an invalid patient in a conventional sitting position on a chair having a generally horizontal seat and a generally upright back, said garment comprising a back portion, a left body enwrapping portion and a right body enwrapping portion extended to either side of the back portion, each of said left and right enwrapping portions being adapted to crisscross in front of the body, one of said enwrapping portions having a slit therein through which the end of the other enwrapping portion is inserted, a strap means connected to the end of said other enwrapping portion, said strap means being adapted to wrap around the chair back to hold the lower back portion of the body of the patient against the chair back, a ring means connected to the end of the other enwrapping portion for receiving said strap means, and a back strap connected to said back portion, one end of said back strap being connected to upper central part of said back portion, a loop formed in the other end of said back strap, said back strap being adapted to depend over the back of the chair, the first mentioned strap being threaded through the loop of said back strap and said back strap adapted for engaging the back of the chair to hold the upper back portion of the body of the patient substantially upright.

2. A support for holding an invalid patient in a con ventional sitting position in a chair having a generally horizontal seat and a generally vertical back, said support comprising a sleeveless vest-like garment formed of a single blank of material having a back portion, a left body enwrapping portion and a right body enwrapping portion connected to extend from either side of said back portion, each of said left and right portions being adapted to crisscross in front of the patients body, and each of said left and right portions having a low sweeping cut to define a neckline, a lapel collar connected about said neckline, one only of said body cnwrapping portions having a slit located therein through which the loop formed therein, a side enwrapping strap connected to the end of the body enwrapping portion, a ring means connected to the end of the other body enwrapping portion so that in fastened position the side strap is threaded through the loop of said back strap and the ring means of said other body enwrapping portion, and means for securing said strap to hold the patient firmly in sitting position, said securing means including co-operating gripping surfaces connected to one side of the side strap, said co-operating surfaces including a strip of material having minute hooks formed therein connected to the free end of said side strap and co-operating strip of woven material having loops connected to an intermediate portion of said side strap and said side strap being made fast by folding over the free end of the side strap onto the intermediate portion of the side strap whereby the co-operating surfaces adhere to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,446 Popham Feb. 16, 1926 2,751,594 Brissenden June 26, 1956 2,851,033 Posey Sept. 9, 1958 3,027,566 Ruby Apr. 3, 1962 

1. A SUPPORTING GARMENT FOR HOLDING AN INVALID PATIENT IN A CONVENTIONAL SITTING POSITION ON A CHAIR HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SEAT AND A GENERALLY UPRIGHT BACK, SAID GARMENT COMPRISING A BACK PORTION, A LEFT BODY ENWRAPPING PORTION AND A RIGHT BODY ENWRAPPING PORTION EXTENDED TO EITHER SIDE OF THE BACK PORTION, EACH OF SAID LEFT AND RIGHT ENWRAPPING PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO CRISSCROSS IN FRONT OF THE BODY, ONE OF SAID ENWRAPPING PORTIONS HAVING A SLIT THEREIN THROUGH WHICH THE END OF THE OTHER ENWRAPPING PORTION IS INSERTED, A STRAP MEANS CONNECTED TO THE END OF SAID OTHER ENWRAPPING PORTION, SAID STRAP MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO WRAP AROUND THE CHAIR BACK TO HOLD THE LOWER BACK PORTION OF THE BODY OF THE PATIENT AGAINST THE CHAIR BACK, A RING MEANS CONNECTED TO THE END OF THE OTHER ENWRAPPING PORTION FOR RECEIVING SAID STRAP MEANS, AND A BACK STRAP CONNECTED TO SAID BACK PORTION, ONE END OF SAID BACK STRAP BEING CONNECTED TO UPPER CENTRAL PART OF SAID BACK PORTION, A LOOP FORMED IN THE OTHER END OF SAID BACK STRAP, SAID BACK STRAP BEING ADAPTED TO DEPEND OVER THE BACK OF THE CHAIR, THE FIRST MENTIONED STRAP BEING THREADED THROUGH THE LOOP OF SAID BACK STRAP AND SAID BACK STRAP ADAPTED FOR ENGAGING THE BACK OF THE CHAIR TO HOLD THE UPPER BACK PORTION OF THE BODY OF THE PATIENT SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT. 